Advertising sign



5 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 4, A1938. F. E. SCHMIDT ADVERTISING SIGN Filed Dec. 1l, 1956 Jan. 4, 1938. F SCHMIDT 2,104,105

DVERTIS ING* SIGN Filed Deofll, 1956 5 sheets-sheet 2 n luii #i ZIH i Illllllllll Fmr/k E Schmidt Jan. 4, 1938. F. E. SCHMIDT ADVERTISING SVIGN Filed Dec. ll, 1956 5 Sheets-Shes# 3 Jan. 4, 1938. F. E, SCHMIDT` 2,104,105

ADVERTISING SIGN Filed Dec. l1, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 @la Y 3mm/vm y Fran/r E. Schmidt Jan. 4, 1938. F. E.- scHMlDT 2,104,105

ADVERTISING SIGN Filed Decll, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 CII Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNITI-:D STATES PATENT DFFICE 5 Claims.

My invention is comprised of a case having its bottom hinged to facilitate the replacement, ad-

justment and positioning of endless and delin-V eated bands or belts, that are disposed therein. A prime mover is. disposed within the case and drives are disposed between the prime mover and the shafts about which the endless delineated bands or belts are trained. Transparent fronts are provided for the case in order that the sign may be viewed from each of its broad faces.

simultaneously.

The primary purpose and object of my invention is to provide a continuously moving sign that may be seen 4from its opposite sides with equal facility and one that may be easily replaced with an additional sign without in any Way altering or affecting the component elements comprising the sign itself.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sign that will be comprised of a minimum num ber of parts and one that may be used over long periods with practical .freedom from operating mechanical annoyances. l

I am aware that signs of Vthe flasher type and of the fixed typev have been provided but I am not aware that signs of the type hereinafter to be described have heretofore been used and developed.

Through the use of my new and improved device it is now possible to have a plurality of delineated bands or belts carrying advertising indicia that may be placed within the sign and used for a period. of time and thereafter be re placed with other signs without in any way alter- `ing the sign structure,'it being possible to change one of the delineated belts with another with a minimum stoppage of the sign and with a minimum of delay. 1 l

A further object of my invention consists in providing a sign having delineated bands or belts disposed therein, each of which may be driven in an opposite direction to thereby create additional optical illusion in the operation of the sign.

With these and incidental objects in View, the

) invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts,l the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claims, and a preferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter shown with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification. l

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view ofthe assembled sign shown erected in place'. l

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary partially sectional front View of the driven end of the assembled device.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary partially sectional front View of the driving end of the assembled device.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional inverted plan view of the driven rollers and the associated elements. This view is taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional end View of the supporting frame of the driven end. This view is taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan View of the drive and the train of gears associated therewith. This view is taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. '7 is an end view of one end of the driven roller and a fragmentary partially sectional plan View of the support for the same. This view is made to illustrate the compressible cushion member disposed therein, the position of which is to maintain the delineated endless driving bands or belts in a suitably taut condition.

Fig. 8 is a front view of the instrumentalities used for supporting and driving the delineated endless belts or bands. l

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

I is the case of the assembled device. The case is preferably a double faced case in order that the sign may be viewed from its broad front and back surfaces with equal facility. The bottom 2 of the case is so arranged as to facilitate its being hinged downward for inspection and adjustment of the parts disposed therein.

I provide a sub-frame '3 disposed within the case to which the driving and driven assembly and the prime mover may be vattached and secured and which is adapted for having the same attached thereto in advance of the same being secured and placed within the case. i

I provide a plurality of driving drums 4 and 5, here shown as two in number, but I do not Wish to be limited to two as a different number may be used with equal facility.

The driving drums 4 and 5 have driving elements as gears 6 and 'I associated at one of their ends. The gears 6 and 'l are adapted for coacting with each other.

A prime mover as an electric motor 8 is placed within the frame 3 and the prime mover has journal bearings 9 and I0 associated therewith into which ashaft ll is journaled. The shaft Il passes through a gearbox 10A. The motor'leads are shown at l2. The shaft l I is driven by means of reduction gears, not here shown, from the armature shaft of the prime mover 8.` A suitable driving gear I3 is mounted upon the shaft I I and' the saine coacts with and drives the gear I andV in turn the gear 5, to thereby impart rotation to Vthe respective driving drums 4 and 5. A driving Y sprocket I4 is associated with the shaft uponV which the drum 4 is mounted. A stub shaft I5 is secured to the frame 3 and a sprocket I6 is secured to the stub shaft I5 and aV driving element as Va chain I'I is trainedabout the respective sprockets I4 and I5 and drives the same. A bevel gear is also mounted upon the stub'shaft I5 andf the same coacts with and drives a bevel gear I9.

The driving drum 5 and a driven drum 20 are companion drums and a delineated endless belt or band 2| is trained about the lower enlarged end of the respective companion Ydrums 5'and 20. A

driven drum 22 is a companion drum to the tive drums 4, 5, 20 and 22 are mounted uponV Vshafts that are journaled on their upper ends relative to the frame 3 and drums 4 and 5 are driving drums and drums 20 and 22 are driven drums. In

Y order that the delineated belts or bands may be is hung in spaced relation with the supportingV structure. To make this easily accessible I hinge thebot tom wall 2 of the case downward about the hinge pin 24. VThe bottom 2 has a bracket 26 disposed upon its free end and a hole 2'I is disposed therein. YA locking pin 23 is used for fastening theY bottom wall 2in raised, closed position. Journal bearings 29, 35, 3lV and 32 are disposed upon the lower end of the shafts upon which the respective drums 4, 5, 25 and 22 are mounted and anti-friction bearings 33, 34, and 35V are provided for the respective shafts. The anti-friction'bearings are mounted within suitable supports 31 and 38.V

Supports 3l and 38 are hinged respectively to the supports to facilitatethe anti-friction bearings being placed into and out of registry with and in engagement with the journal bearings 23 to 32 respectively. This is made necessary because of the frequentV changing of-the. endless belts or Vbands that are to be placed about the respective pairs of drums 4 and 22, 5 and 25. The bearing support 33 is hingedly secured to a yoke 39. The' yoke 39 is adjustable relative to the case 3 by any adjusting means as by set screws 40 and 4I. The purpose of providing the yoke'39 is to provide means for maintaining the belts or bands in a relatively taut condition after the same have been placed upon the respective pairs of drums. In order that the two pairs'of drumsrmay be independently adjusted I provide supportingV channel ways 42 as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 and each of the housing supports 53 has bolts 50A disposed therein and has a supporting bolt 44 secured thereto and the head 45 of the same moves within the channel way 46 that is disposedl within the channel member 42. An Yelongated slot 41 is disposed within each of the journal supports 48 and as et screw 49locks the journal supportsA 48 relative to the journal support 5I). This provides independent adjusting'means to adjust one pair of rollers relative to the other.

It will be noted that the driving drum 50 is rotated in one direction and the driving drum 4 is operated in the opposite direction. .This provides Y means for driving the delineated band 2l in one direction and the delineated endless driving band or belt 23 in the opposite direction. It Will be noted :that I also place an inner band23A on the inside and adjacent the top edge of the band 23 to prevent the band from creepingV along the drums. Y Both Vof the bands 23and 2I are made wider than the surface of the drums upon which it is operated to permit the inner bands 2IA and 23A riding the top end of each of the drums.

, While it is believed fundamental that these driving belts or bands should be driven at all times in opposite directions by placing a single Vadditional pinion between the shafts 23 and 33 they could be driven in the same direction with equal facility. By driving thevsame in the opposite` directions the apparent difference in speed will be double what it would :be if they were driven in the same direction. j

To provide facilities for furnishing a delineated endless band or belt that will run inclined to the horizontal and disappear below and above the Vrespective horizontal lines of the respective bands 2I and'23 I provide a frame 5I between the shafts 30 and 3l The drums disposed thereupon operatethe same between the bands 2i and 23 Vand secure the same to the frame 3 by any VVI9 mounted thereupon. This effects driving relationship between the drum 53 .and the prime mover 8. An ladjustable relationship may be developed'between the driving drum 53 and the driven drum: 54'by placing 'adjusting screws 55 and 5l between the respective frames upon which the driving and drivenV drums 53 and. 54 are mounted. The screws 56 and 5`I are right and left hand screws respectively. A hand threaded member 58 is secured to the respective screws to impart adjusting movement to the respective frames upon which the driving and driven drums are mounted.

InVFig. 1 I have shown one of my new and improved signs being supported upon a wall 53. The same isY secured thereto by suitable supporting brackets 60 and 6I and the same is suspended in place by any suitable Vcable 52.

In order to further enhance the optical illusion thatY is developed through the use of my device VI provide suitable props 63 and 64 at the oppositely disposed ends of the display. These props are ,removablyV placed within the sign case and may be removed and replaced by others more suitable tothe sign being displayed.

' It will be noted that a motor bus65 is delineated upc'n the belt 2I, that a skyscape shown by clouds 66 areV mounted upon the delineated endless belt orband'23 and that an yairplane 6l is delineated upon the endless band or belt 68 that is trained about the respective driving and driven drums 53 and 54.

It will also be noted that the endless band or belt may be freely placed upon and'rem'oved from the driving and driven drums 53 and 54.

The props 63 and 64 are positioned in front of and cover the return position about which the endless delineated bands or belts turn to thereby increase the optical effect produced by the sign herein described.

I place a plurality of electric light bulbs 69 within the case and position the same so that they will illuminate, if desired, the transparency of the endless delineated power driven bands and the outside of the same to produce desired and essential lighting eiects and to enhance the optical illusion that may be created by the sign when in operation.

In order that the supports for the bearings 33, 34, 35 and 36 may be held in place and be positioned with little effort I provide supporting links 10 and 1l and position the same so that the supports 31 and 38 may be placed in registry alignment therewith. The links 10 and 1I are hinged relative to the case by hinge pins 12 and 13. The hinge pins are supported within suitable brackets that are secured to the case I.

Locking screws 14 and 15 are associated with the links which are made to pass through slots that are disposed Within the swinging ends oi each of the supports 31 and 38.

It is highly desirable that th-e endless delineated belts or bands be maintained in a suitable taut condition during their operation. It is also quite essential that the same operate against a cushion to compensate for any stretch that may develop Within the bands orbelts. To* accomplish this I provide an elongated socket 16 Within each of the supports for each of the bearings that support the driven drums and I place a shoe 11 within the socket that engages. the outside oi the respective bearings and a spring or other cushioning device 18 maintains the shoe 11 in intimate contact within the outer surface of the bearings.

While I have shown only one prime mover such as motor 8, my device may be operated equally as well with an individual motor upon each pair of rollers which may be independently operated.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulll the v objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the embodiment herein shown and described,

as it is susceptible of embodiment in variousy forms, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a case, a sub-frame disposed within the case with one end of the sub-frame being adjustable relative to the case, pairs of driving and driven drums disposed Within the case, bearings for each end of-the respective driving and driven drums, with the bearings for one end of the respective drums being adapted for being placed into and out of registry with the bearing end of the respective drums, delineated endless bands trained about the respective pairs of driving and driven drums, with the said delineated endless bands being wider than that portion of the drums upon which the same rides, a band disposed adjacent the top edge and disposed upon the inner side of each of the delineated endless bands, power means for driving the driving drums and a plurality of props disposed within e-ach case and said props being placed adjacent the driving and driven drums and positioned to hide the point of wrap of the delineated endless bands about. the respective driving and driven drums.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a case, means for supporting the case and for illuminating the same from within, a sub-frame disposed within the case, m'eans for hinging the bottom of the case to aiord entry to within the case, a plurality of pairs of driving and driven elements disposed within the case and mounted relative to the sub-frame, endless delineated bands trained about the pairs of driving and driven elements, means mounted upon the endless delineated bands for preventing the same creeping the respective drums about which the same are trained, means for simultaneously driving the endless delineated bands in opposite directions, and a plurality of props placeable within the case and adjacent the ends of the case.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a case, means for supporting the case, a plurality of power driven endless delineated bands disposed within the case, means for illuminating the surfaces of each of the delineated bands that are exposed to View at either side of the case, means for driving and supporting the delineated bands in opposite directions, means preventing the creeping of the bands relative to the supports about which the same are trained, and props disposed within the case and placed between the inner broad surface of the case and the outside of the endless bands and means facilitating ther changing of the bands relative to the driving and supporting elements about which the same are trained.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a case, a frame disposed Within the case, a plurality of pairs of driving and driven drums adjustably supported within the frame, an endless delineated belt trained about each of the pairs of drums and an endless band secured to the delineated belt for maintaining the belts upon the respective drums and for preventing the samek crawling therealong, means for adjusting the spaced relationship between the driving and driven drums of each pair of the respective drums, means for illuminating the delineated endless belts and a plurality of props removably disposed within the case.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a case, a plurality of endless delineated bands rotatably mounted within the case, some of said bands being adapted for being driven in horizontal movement and other of said bands being adapted for being driven in a path inclined to the horizontal, power means for simultaneously driving the delineated bands in predetermined directional movement, means for illuminating the delineated bands from opposite sides and a plurality of props disposed within the case and disposed between the broad surfaces of the case and the endless delineated bands disposed therein.

FRANK E. SCHMIDT. 1 

